Spring-hinge



2 Sheets Sheet 1. J. KEENE.

SPRING HINGE.

Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

(ModeL) M WEFwW w V w I, y

(ModeL) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. KEENE.

. SPRING HINGE.

No. 397,190. Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOSEPH KEENE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,190, dated February5, 1889. T

Application filed August 20,1888. Serial No. 283,232. (ModeL) T 0 aZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH KEENE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Hinges, of whichI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My present invention, while applicable in part to the construction ofhinges designed to be applied. to doors that are to be opened in onedirection only, is more particularly designed as an improvement uponthat class of spring-hinges intended to be applied to doors adapted tobe opened in both directions, so as to bring the door to itsnormally-closed position after it has been moved therefrom in eitherdirection. An example of this type of spring-hinge is illustrated inLetters Patent No. 227,786, granted to D. \V. Honsley, May 18, 1880.

The object of my present invention is, primarily, to provide an improvedconstruction of hinge in which the torsion-spring that serves to restorethe door to its closed position shall be held within fixed bearings, soas to be incapable of outward movement, but shall exert its pressureupon the intermediate leaf or leaves of the hinge through the medium ofa projecting arm or arms adapted to engage with suitable bearing-piecesupon said intermediate leaves.

My invention consists in the various novel features of constructionhereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a springhinge embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the parts in reverse position fromthat shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the hinge with the-parts in closed position. Fig. 4 is a view intransverse section on line at 4 of Fig. Fig. 5 is a view in transversesection on line 5 5 of Fig. Fig. (5 is a view of a modified form of myinvention. Fig. 7 is a view in transverse sect-ion on line 7 7 of Fig.(i. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper part of the modified. formof hinge shown in Fig. 6.

A and B denote what, for convenience, may be termed the door and jambleaves of the hinge, since when applied to use one of these leaves willbe attached to the door and the other will be fastened to the jamb, andA and B denote a lower corresponding'set of door and jamb leaves, theseupper and lower sets of leaves being by preference united together bysuitable connections, 0 and C, while the connection C unites the upperand lower leaves B and B. It is obvious, however, that in case one setof leaves only is employed these connections may be omitted.

Betweenthe door and jamb leaves A and B is held in well-known manner theintermediate leaf D,this leaf beingpivotally connected by a pintle, d,with the leaf A, and by a pintle, d, with the leaf B, the pintles cl andd passing, respectively, through a suitable knuckle joint, a, of theleaf A and through a knucklejoint, 6, of the leaf B, as clearly shownin'Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. At the base of this intermediate leafD is formed what, for convenience, I term a bearing-piece, E, theprecise shape of which is more particularly shown i n Fig. 5 of thedrawings, and by preference this bearing-piece has its wearing-faceinclined across the plane of the intermediate leaf and of irregularoutline, so that in its co-action with the arm that projects from thetorsion-spring the pressure of such spring maybe more effectivelyexerted upon the door. In the construc tion shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of thedrawings this bearing-piece E at one end approaches very nearly theoifset d at the base of the leaf D, and at its outer end is bypreference provided with a somewhat abrnptly-eurved face, e, for apurpose to be presently stated. Against the wearing-face of thisbearing-piece E of the intermediate leaf D, and riding freely over saidbearing-piece in the action of the hinge, bears the angular end of thearm F, that is suitably fixed to the enlarged portion, of the spindle G,that extends through a suitable bearing, g, and is suitably connected,as shown, with the upper end of the coiled torsion-spring H. The angularend of this projecting arm .F is by preference provided with a smallfriction-sleeve, f, to save wear upon the arm and the bearing-piece E,over which it rides.

It will be observed that the lower end of the coiled spring II isprovided with a spindle, G, similar in construction to the spindle G atits upper end, this spindle G being in like manner held within abearing, g, so that by means of these spindles the coiled spring will besecurely held against movement in outward direction, the spindles beingfree, however, to turn within their bearings during the operation of thehinge. The bearings g and g, in which the spindles G and G arejournaled, are preferably formed in piece with the connection (F, thatserves to unite the upper and lower leaves A and A of the hinge, andthese hearings are. at such point that the body of i the spring whileextending in vertical direction shall largely project beyond the outerface of the leaves A and A, and I prefer to provide this connecticm Cwith a semi-cylindrical casing, c, that shall serve to cover the springwhen it is in position for use. My purpose in so sustaining the coiledspring ll that a great part of its body shall extend beyond the outerface of the leaves A and A is to avoid the necessity of cutting away somuch of the door or the jamb as would be required if the entire body ofthe spring were located at the hack of the connection which serves tounite the upper and lower leaves. I also prefer when a connection, 0, isused between the leaves B and B to provide this connection with arecess, 0, adapted to receive the cylindrical casin 0 when the hinge isin closed position.

Between the lower set of door and jamb leaves, A and B, is held theintermediate leaf D, that is pivoted, respectively, to these door andjamb leaves, and in construction and tune tion corresponds with theintermediate leaf D. This intermediate leaf D, between the lower set ofleaves, A and B, has its upper edge provided with a hearing-piece, E,corresponding with the bearing-piece E upon the lower edge of the upperintermediate leaf, I), this bearing-piece E serving to engage with theangular end of the arm F, that projects from the spindle G at the lowerend of the coiled spring.

By reference more particularly to Figs. 1, i2, and 5 of the drawings andto the relative positions of the parts there shown it will be readilyseen that when the door is moved in one d'irection as, for example, inthe direct ion shown in Fig. 1-the turning of the door will occur uponthe pi ntle (I, that connects the leaf A with the intermediate leaf D,and upon the pintle (1*, that connects the lower intermediate leaf, D,with the lower leaf B, and it will be apparent also that during thisoutward swinging of the door the proj eetin g arm F will ride freelyover the bearing-piece E of the intermediate leaf 1), while at the sametime this projecting arm will be turned against the torsional strain ofthe coiled sprin hen the door is in its normally-closed position, theparts of the hinge will be in the relative position shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, and it is obvious that as the parts are turned from thisposition to that shown in Fig. 1, and as the angular end of the arm Frides freely over the wearing-face of the bearing-piece E, the force ofthe spring will be at all times exerted; but during this movement it isplain that since the angular end of the arm F applies the initialpressure at a point farthest from the pintle (I, that constitutes thefulcrum or pivot-point on which the hinge is to be turned, the force ofthe spring will be exerted most strongly when the door is in closed position. As the door is swung open from the closed position shown in Fig.5 to the position shown in Fig. l, the angular end of theproj ecti n armF will be lin'ought grad u ally nearc r the pintle (Z as this arm ridesover the face of the bearing-"plate E, until, when the door is fullyswung back, the projecting arm F will hear so near to the pintle (Z thatthe spring will exert con'iparatively little force and merely sufiicientto start the door inward toward its closed position.

By inclining the wearing-face of the bearing-piece E from a pointinfront of to a point back of the intermediate leaf, as I prefer to do,the force of the torsion-s jning exerted through the projecting arm Fupon the bearing-piece is applied in a most effective manner,whilc afreedom of movement of the arm is allowed, and by providing the outerend of the bearing-piece E with the abruptly-curved portions 6 not onlyis all danger avoided of the arm F slipping olf the liearingiiiece atsuch point, but a stronger resistance is also offered to the initialmovement of the door from its normally-closed position. It will bereadily understood by reference more particularly to Fig. 2 of thedrawings that when the door is swung from its closed position to theopen position shown in Fig. 2 the swing ing of the door will occur uponthe pintle d, that connects the intermediate leaf D with the leaf A, andupon the pintle (1 that connects the lowerintermediate leaf, D, with thelower leaf A, and during this movement of the door the action. of thespring will be exerted through the medium of the lowerproj ecting arm,F, upon the bearinginece E on the upper edge of the lower intermediateleaf, D. Hence it will be seen. that when the door is turned from itsnormal]y-closed position to the position shown in Fig. 2 the angular endof the projecting arm F will ride over the face of the bearing-piece E,the operation be ing similar to that of the projecting arm F and thebearing-pieee F, hcreinbel'ore described.

It will be readily understood, of con rse, that when the torsion-springis exerting its force through the medium of the projccting arm F andl'iearing-piece E upon the upper in termediate leaf, D, the lowerprojecting arm, F, will. simply bear against the outer portion of thebearing-piece E, but will be inert so far as aifecting the action of thedoor isconcerned; and the same is true also with. regard to theprojecting arm I! when the door is opened in .reverse direction to bringthe arm 1*" and the lower bearing-piece, E, into action.

It will. be readily understood that the projecting arms F and F may beso attached to the spindle in well-known manner that the position ofthese arms may be shifted to different points of the spindle when it isdesired to increase the torsional force of the spring; but this, beingno part of my present invention, need not be dwelt upon in detail.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 ofthe drawings the leaves A and A and B and B, with their connections Cand G, are substantially the same as those illustrated in the precedingfigures of the drawings, and the spring H is in like manner held inposition upon the connection O and attached to the spindles G and G. So,also, in this construction the intermediate leaves, D and D, are pivotedto the door and jamb leaves in the manner above described; but theseintermediate leaves, instead of being provided with bearing-pieces suchas before described, are provided with bearing-pieces of modifiedconstruction, and the arms that project from the upper and lowerspindles, G and G, are also'of correspondinglymodified construction. Inthis form of my invention the leaf D is provided at its lower end with abearing-piece, E in the form of a simple pin or stud, preferably fittedwit-h a friction-sleeve, c and a like pin or stud, E with afriction-sleeve, e, is fixed to the upper end of the lower intermediateleaf, D. Against the frictioi'i-sleeve of this bearingpiece E of theintermediate leaf D bears the projecting arm F that extends from thespindle G at the upper end of the tersion-spring H, and in like manneragainst the sleeve of the bearing-piece E at the upper end of the lowerintermediate leaf, D, bears the projecting arm F, that extends from thespindle G at the lower end of the spring II. In order to enable the armsF andF to effectively exert the force of the spring upon thebearing-pieces E and of the intermediate leaves, each of theseprojecting arms is bent to an irregular shape, preferably as shown, andthe ends of the arms are by preference bent over, as at f, not merely toprevent the slipping of the arms out of engagement with thebearing-pieces F and F, but also to avoid danger of garments catching onthe ends of these arms.

By reference more particularly to the dotted lines of Fig. 7 of thedrawings it will be seen that when the door is in its normallyclosedposition the bearing-piece E will contact with the arm F at suchdistance from the pintle (Z, about which the door will turn when the armF is to be brought into action, that the initial pressure of the arm Fagainst the bearing-piece E will be very strong, and in order to furtherincrease the strength of this initial. pressure the projecting arm F isby preference bent, as at f, at a point near its inner end. When,however, the door has been swung open, as seen in Fig. 8, less pressurewill be exerted by the arm I upon the pieces will be formed directlyupon one of the door and jamb leaves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with two or more leaves pivotedtogether, of a torsion-spring, a projecting arm connected therewith andhaving a free outer end, and a bearing-piece upon one of said leaves,against which the free end of said projecting arm can ride during theoperation of the hinge, substantially as described.

2. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with the leaves for attachment tothe door and jamb, respectively, and the intermediate leaf pivoted tosaid door and jamb leaves, of a torsion-spring, a projecting armconnected therewith and having a free outer end, and a bearing-pieceupon said intermediate leaf, said arm and said bearing-piece beingmovably sustained with respect to each other, and one of said partsbeing provided with an irregular surface, against which the other isheld in a manner free to ride, whereby a varying spring-pressure in theaction of the hinge is secured, substantially as described.

3. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with an upper and lower set ofleaves for attachment to the door and to the jamb, respectively, andintermediate leaves pivoted to said door and jamb leaves, of atorsion-spring located intermediate of said upper and lower sets ofleaves, a projecting arm at each end of said spring, and a bearing-piecelocated upon each of the intermediate leaves, against which said armsare held in a manner free to ride,

. substantially s described.

4. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with two or more leaves connectedtogether, one of said leaves being provided with a cut-away space, of aspring located within said cut away space of one of the leaves, andextending beyond the face of the leaf with which it is connected, saidspring having its ends held against outward movement, a projecting armconnected to the spring, and a bearing-piece upon one of said leaves,with which said arm -el'igages, substantially as described.

5. In a spring-hinge, the combination, with two or more leaves pivotedtogether, of a spring, an arm projecting therefrom, one of said leavesbeing provided with a bearingpiece having a Wearing-face, over whichsaid :n-m freely rides, said Wearing-face extending across the plane ofsaid leaf, substantially as described.

5 6. In a springdiinge, the combination, with several leaves pivotedtogether, of a spring, an arm projecting therefrom having an an gulmend,one of said leaves being provided JOSEPH KEENE.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. P. FISHER, J12, I. B. CARPENTER.

